Avoca, Inc. is the world’s premier botanical extraction company - a custom developer and manufacturer of extraction products and services. Avoca is the world’s largest grower of Clary Sage and the world’s primary manufacturer and supplier of sclareolide to the fragrance industry. The company contract grows over 30,000 acres of Clary Sage.

The Assistant Plant Breeder position offers a unique opportunity for a creative individual to work with an alternative crop to develop high yielding varieties and novel genotypes in a commercial setting.

Responsibilities

• The Assistant Plant Breeder will work closely with the Plant Breeder to accomplish the short and long term breeding goals as well as actively participate in all tasks related to breeding, testing, and selection.
• Help plan, organize and oversee field and greenhouse trials.
• Develop an understanding of the culture, morphology and floral biology of this unique crop.
• Become familiar with analytical methods for evaluation of clary sage genetic material.
• Assist in developing new high-yielding varieties that meet internal requirements.
• Collect, evaluate, and critically analyze the phenotypic data from field and greenhouse trials.
• Assist with supply and maintenance of Breeder’s Seed stock.
• Expand germplasm collection.
• Implement aspects of genetic engineering into the breeding program.
• Work with the agronomic staff to coordinate land preparation and field plot maintenance.
• Interface with current personnel involved in commercial harvest and processing of the crop.
• Provide supervision and guidance for summer college students.

Qualifications

• M.S or Ph.D. in Plant Breeding or related field.
• Experience in practical plant breeding, field plot design and sampling techniques.
• Knowledge of statistics.
• Education/experience in horticulture, botany, plant pathology, and greenhouse management desirable.
• Possess a good working knowledge of current DNA breeding protocols and various GMO and non-GMO technologies.
• Possess a strong work ethic, self- motivation and creativity.
• Must be well organized, able to communicate effectively and possess attention to detail and follow-though.
• Ability of work under both field and greenhouse conditions.

Salary commensurate with experience.

Applications

This position is based in Merry Hill, NC and is immediately available.

Resumes will be collected until a suitable candidate is hired. If interested, please send a cover letter detailing your experiences in relation to the essential job duties and responsibilities along with a resume to: humanresources@avocainc.com

Or via fax at 252-482-1537